HappyPrimal Journal

This is huge, since I don't blog or do social media. I'm a lurker. Been lurking here since last May and have decided it might be helpful to start a journal and get involved. It's a lonely primal world here, and sometimes I long for communication with likeminded people. Because I tend to waste a huge amount of time writing, I will always try to be brief (from now on).

Went low carb to lose wight in May 2012, cutting all grains and sugar. Primal since October 2012. Lift heavy 3 days/wk mixed with kickboxing. Sprint at least once per week, and hike or bike 1-2 times/wk. Lost 30 pounds last year, but none since. I tend to get obsessive and stressed over making sure I'm doing everything right, but I'm working on overcoming that. I'm fit, but would like to lose a little more fat. My biggest problem is the scale, which I'm trying to avoid. Constantly must remind myself that this is for overall good health, and not for a number on a scale.

breakfast: leftover grass fed roast w/ chard, shot of heavy cream in coffee
lunch: same as breakfast (no coffee/cream)
pm snack: handfull of almonds (must quit this), coconut flakes (another bad habit I must get control of)
dinner: ground beef, green beans, cauliflower, cabbage, coconut milk
post dinner: greek yogurt (another bad habit, which I did fine without for 30 days and have only recently added back - not having any noticeable problems w/ dairy)
I don't know how to deal with these in between meal snacks. They make me happy.

**Maybe some whey protein isolate before workout. I know real food should be enough, but since quitting the whey on Jan 1, 2013, I have struggled for the energy to make it to the gym. The real food doesn't seem to be giving me the energy needed at about 3-4pm. I'm thinking of adding the whey back to see if energy improves. **Update - didn't have the whey. For some reason energy was not a problem this afternoon. Maybe due to overeating almonds and coconut flakes.
Decided not to have the whey or anything else, because didn't feel the need. Trying to avoid eating when not needed.

Hopefully in another year, I will come back to this post and realize how far I have come in so many ways that have nothing to do with that stupid scale.

I've been sleeping so well lately, since I started supplementing with magnesium at night. I wake up really early feeling very well rested. Weird thing is that for the last month I've had very low energy around 3pm. I quit pre-workout whey on January 1 for Whole30, and have been considering adding it back. Since giving myself permission yesterday, I have not felt the need to have it. Must be a mental thing. Maybe since adding greek yogurt back a few days ago, my energy has increased. Will continue to monitor this. The biggest benefit from my Whole30 was learning to recognize my mental/emotional relationship with food, and listening to how my body responds.

While I'm thinking about it, I need to journal my experience with Whole30. I started my first Whole30 on 1/1/13, and had been low carb for 8 months and primal for 3 months and had already lost around 30lbs. I also had just very successfully made it through the holidays with very few cheats. All I had left to remove from my diet was dairy, whey protein, artificial sweetener, and the crazy things I hadn't noticed before, like caramel color in my beef broth, cane sugar in my chicken broth, sugar in my bacon, and sulfates in my vinegar. I thought the dairy would be most difficult, but in no time, I didn't even miss it. The 30 days went by smoothly. I really had no health related issues prior to starting, so saw no life changing results. However, I really expected it to kick me into fat loss again, but can't say that it did. After 30 perfect days, I lost 1.5 pounds. That was the difficult part. When I was done, I was reluctant to add dairy back, since I had done so well getting over it. However, I slowly added a small amount back and don't see any difference. I'm still doing well avoiding the artificial sweeteners.

The benefits that I did get from it are:
#1 I loved being restricted from the scale for 30 days! I'm trying to continue with this, after being disappointed by my 1.5 lb loss (which I have already gained back). Almost got back on the scale this morning, but didn't.
#2 Realizing that I can break habits and make new habits that easily, when I couldn't imagine it before. However, I have since tried limiting my computer time to no later than 3pm, but that didn't last 1 day. I was so bored, I fell asleep on the sofa before 10pm.
#3 Ability to pay attention to how my body reacts to anything that I put in it.
#4 Ability to recognize my eating patterns in relation to my mood, boredom or stress.

So I guess it was a successful Whole30, because these are important purposes for doing it. Though I went into it hoping to lose more fat, I have come out of it with a realization that there are so many other purposes than the number on the scale. I'm healthy eating real food, getting good exercise, and I'm happy primal. My challenge now is to completely get over that stupid scale!

Been away for a few days. Came down with a head cold on Saturday. Still managed and hour walk and then a 5.5 mile hike later. Walked about an hour Sunday, then played golf. Still not feeling great. No work out yesterday or today, while hoping to rest up and recover.

Went a little crazy over the weekend with my food and added barbecue sauce to my meat which I'm sure was filled with sugar. Haven't done that in many months. Also, ate a few too many fried pickle slices that the family ordered up. Totally not like me to do that. I'll blame it on not feeling well. Still haven't weighed this month and getting worried. If I didn't feel so bad, and was getting in my workout, I wouldn't feel that way. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel well enough to get back to it.

Not doing so well journalling. Feeling good this week and hope to make it to the gym 4 times this week after only twice last week. Vacation in 2 weeks, so getting anxious about putting on vacation weight. Also feeling extremely anxious about weighing after avoiding the scale for the last 20 days. It may be causing more anxiety than weighing does. Plan to weigh tomorrow to get it over with, and then do what I need to do for the next 2 weeks before vacation. I have no intention of eating bad on vacation, but know that it will be impossible to eat as well as I do at home. Have plans to keep us very active with hiking, biking, and kayaking.

I'm going to restrict dairy again completely for the next 2 weeks. Felt I was getting to comfortable with the HWC and yogurt again. Also trying to restrict nuts.

I tend to get obsessive and stressed over making sure I'm doing everything right, but I'm working on overcoming that.

I can relate! I do the same thing. I have been gradually getting better though and am learning to not be so hard on myself.

I don't know how to deal with these in between meal snacks. They make me happy.

Can also relate......my vice is spoonfuls of almond butter..........holy hell batman! Sometimes I feel like I could down the entire jar. I know it's an emotional issue. It feels like an uncontrollable compulsion. Maybe I should replace it with some burpees or squats.